NYC PREMIERE In the years since competing on American Idol, Todrick Hall has amassed a staggering following on YouTube, bringing his distinct voice and aesthetic to pop culture, and serving as an inclusive, inspirational figure to LGBT fans around the world. For his latest project, chronicled in Katherine Fairfax Wright’s entertaining portrait, Hall challenges himself […]
NYC PREMIERE Bill Frisell is a widely inventive guitarist who crosses musical boundaries. This intimate character portrait ‘shows a self-deprecating master whose hands seem to float while shaping sonic lines and fields that always surprise with their weird clarity’ (Georgia Straight). The eclectic list of musicians in the film includes Bonnie Raitt, Hal Willner, Paul […]
US PREMIERE In January 2016, David Bowie died at the age of 69, just days after he released the critically acclaimed Blackstar, a haunting album that explored questions of mortality. With intimate access to Bowie’s friends and artistic collaborators, and a wealth of rare archival material, Francis Whately’s insightful film examines the celebrated artist’s remarkably […]
NYC PREMIERE For Eric Clapton, blues music made a strong impression at a young age: ‘It was always one man with his guitar versus the world. He was completely alone and had no options other than to just sing and play to ease his pain.’ Over a five-decade career, Clapton has proven himself to be […]
WORLD PREMIERE The hardcore punk band Agnostic Front formed in 1980 and soon became synonymous with the New York punk scene. At its core were Vinnie Stigma and Roger Miret. Over 35 years later, the legendary guitarist, born and raised on Mott Street, and his Cuban-born vocalist bandmate are still going strong. Interweaving remarkable archival […]
NYC PREMIERE Legendary Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo embarks on the recording of a new experimental concept album with a little help from some friends, including Spanish producer Raül Refree and acclaimed novelist Jonathan Lethem, serving here as lyricist. Recording sessions immerse the audience in his thrillingly creative process, allowing full access to his studio […]
NYC PREMIERE Widely considered the greatest living violinist, Itzhak Perlman takes us on a journey through his music and life. Filmmaker Alison Chernick (Matthew Barney: No Restraint) gains privileged access to Perlman with his family, friends and colleagues. Wheelchair-bound from childhood polio, he recounts stories of overcoming obstacles with his talent and humor. We follow […]
NYC PREMIERE In the mid-1980s, Bruce LaBruce and G. B. Jones, a pair of young Canadians, introduced the world to the burgeoning Toronto queer punk scene through homemade zines and scrappy films. In this pre-Internet era, there was no way of knowing that queercore consisted of just two people. Soon enough, their subversive creation spread […]
NYC PREMIERE A star of stage and screen and member of the legendary Rat Pack, Sammy Davis, Jr. broke racial barriers, but paid a heavy price for it. Defying societal norms concerning interracial romance, religion and political affiliation, Davis courted controversy many times, but always with grace and honesty. Filmmaker Sam Pollard explores all the […]
WORLD PREMIERE Doo wop, featuring stellar vocal harmonies sung a cappella, was born on street corners in the 1950s. soon, the Coasters, The Drifters and Frankie Valli were singing their hearts out to America on Alan Freed’s influential radio show. In Streetlight Harmonies, a who’s who of musicians trace the evolution of American pop music […]